Legislative Assembly Unanimously Approves Appointment of New Ombudsperson

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, November 5, 2021 – The Legislative Assembly unanimously approved a motion to appoint Ms. Sandra Hermiston to become the first Ombudsperson and Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner for Prince Edward Island. This independent officer position is non-partisan and serves an important role in assisting the Legislative Assembly in providing government oversight.

With over 30 years as a lawyer in the public service with experience in administrative law and management, Ms. Hermiston has built a reputation as a credible and trustworthy civil servant with a commitment to administrative fairness and conflict resolution. She has worked with Worker’s Compensation boards in the Northwest Territories and Alberta. She has 8 years’ experience working in an Ombudsperson’s office, first as General Counsel in the Ombudsman’s office in Alberta and is currently the Ombudsman in the Cayman Islands where she set up the current office and administers their whistleblower FOIPP legislation. She will become PEI’s first Ombudsperson and Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner and comes to the province with a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Ms. Hermiston will begin her role with the Legislative Assembly on Prince Edward Island on February 14, 2022.